Sanchez sees first game action in 3 weeks
SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) – Freddy Sanchez pulled up after hitting a line drive single to right field, not taking a wide turn at first base or gambling that he could stretch the hit into a double. When he reached first base, he headed back to the dugout and a pinch-runner replaced him.
A setback for the National League batting champion in his first game action in three weeks? Not at all. Sanchez, the Pirates second baseman who had been out since spraining a right knee ligament March 6, was told by the Pirates to take it easy before going 3-for-8 in a Class AAA exhibition game Wednesday.
A few hundred feet away, his Pirates teammates played the Reds in a spring training game. It was obvious where he would rather be.
“It’s not a good sign that I’m here and everyone’s over there,” Sanchez said.
The rest of the Pirates disagreed. If Sanchez is playing again, despite still having discomfort from his sprained right medial collateral ligament, it likely means he’s that much closer to returning to their lineup. It might not be for opening day Monday in Houston, or any game in the opening three-game series, but it should be soon.
Sanchez, one of majors’ surprise stars of last season with his .344 average, also fielded ground balls and ran the bases during a pregame workout – the first time he’s done that since he was hurt. He still has pain in his knee when he pivots and goes to his left on ground balls, and when he accelerates around the bases, but he insisted that’s not a problem.
“I was able to swing and run down to first; it wasn’t as hard as I can, but it was something,” Sanchez said. “I can play through discomfort and pain because they said it’s not going to get worse. Eventually it’s going to go away and I can’t hurt it any more. … Hopefully, I can push it harder and harder each day.”
The next step will be accelerating out of the batter’s box and playing in the field. He expects to get more at-bats Thursday at the Pirate City minor league complex. in Bradenton, Fla.
“We’re close hitting-wise to where I want to be; I was making some contact, seeing pitches – seeing live pitching, that’s what I need right now,” Sanchez said. “But it’s going to take a lot more than a day of at-bats and, hopefully, I’ll use these next 4-5 days to get as many as I can.”
Manager Jim Tracy said he was pleased with Sanchez’s return, though he’s not yet ready to predict when he can write Sanchez’s name in the No. 3 spot in his batting order.
“It was a very, very good workout,” Tracy said. “He did everything – he ran the bases, he ran to the bases. He looked like Freddy Sanchez, and that didn’t surprise me.”
It seems unlikely Sanchez can be ready to play Monday. But if they decide by Sunday he is nearly ready to play, they could carry him on the 25-man roster for a few days knowing he won’t play in the field.
First, Tracy wants to see how Sanchez responds to his first full day of spring training in weeks before he starts weighing when Sanchez might be ready to go.
“He got a lot of exercise today, so let’s see where he’s at (Thursday),” Tracy said. “Maybe we can get him 8-10-12 at-bats, let him see a lot of pitches.”
AP-ES-03-28-07 1717EDT